Secretary of State Bill Gardner said that without Splaine's HB 73 becoming law, the primary as it's known today would not exist.

Secretary of State Bill Gardner said that without Splaine's HB 73 becoming law, the primary as it's known today would not exist.

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Updated: 6:43 PM EST Nov 3, 2015

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WEBVTT THE SHIP WHEN IT DISAPPEARED, SEVEN HAD TIES TO NEW ENGLAND. JOSH: EARLY NEXT YEAR WILL MARK THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY. OUR SPOT AT THE FRONT OF THE LINE IS CONSTANTLY UNDER FIRE, BUT ADAM SEXTON FOUND OUT THAT THE ABILITY TO REMAIN FIRST ACTUALLY STARTED WITH A BILL THAT WAS FILED 40 YEARS AGO BY A SEACOAST STATE REP. REPORTER: IN 2009, JIM SPLAIN STOOD AT THE GOVERNOR'S SIDE AFTER HELPING TO PASS SAME SEX MARRIAGE. FOR THE STATE REP FROM PORTSMOUTH IT TWAS CAP STONE TO NEARLY FOUR DECADES OF SERVICE UNDER THE GOLDEN DOME. THE MOST IMPORTANT LEGISLATION I OR ANY LEGISLATOR CAN SPONSOR ARE THOSE THAT AFFECT PEOPLE'S LIVES. REPORTER: A BILL HE FILED IN 1975 COULD BE ONE OF THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL PIECES OF STATE LEGISLATION IN STATE HISTORY. THE PREMISE WAS SIMPLE. THE FIRST IN THE NATION PRIMARY USED TO BE HELD ON TOWN MEETING DAY. HIS HOUSE BILL 73 WOULD UNCOUPLE THE TWO, ALLOWING THE PRIMARY TO MOVE. CONTROVERSIAL NATIONAL ISSUES WOULD NO LONGER OVERSHADOW TOWN BUSINESS. BUT SPLAINE WAS ALSO WORRY ABOUT TALK FROM TED KENNEDY SUPPORTERS OF A REGIONAL PRIMARY. I THOUGHT THAT A REGIONAL PRIMARY OF NEW ENGLAND STATES WOULD JUST TOTALLY FOREVER DILUTE AND ELIMINATE THE FIRST OF THE NATION STATUS THAT NEW HAMPSHIRE HAD, AND I THOUGHT THAT WE NEEDED THAT PRIMARY. BECAUSE WE REALLY CONTRIBUTED IN NEW HAMPSHIRE IN ENDING THE WAR IN '68 AND '72. AND SO I SPONSORED THE BILL. REPORTER: WHAT WAS THE REACTION, PEOPLE SAYING THIS WILL COST MORE MONEY? THERE WAS A BIT OF A SIGH. I THINK A LOT OF DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS IN THE '75 LEGISLATURE WERE THINKING, WELL, DO WE REALLY NEED TO WORRY ABOUT BEING FIRST ANY MORE. DIDN'T GET A LOT OF SUPPORT AT FIRST WHEN I SPONSORED IT IN THE '75, EARLY '76. BUT IT EVENTUALLY PASSED THE HOUSE, GOT SUPPORT IN THE SENATE. GOVERNOR THOMPSON WHO WAS THINKING OF RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT HIMSELF BECAME AN UNUSUALLY STRONG SUPPORTER OF MAKING SURE THAT NEW HAMPSHIRE WOULD STAY FIRST IN THE NATION. AND WE APPROVED IT AND FROM '76 ON IT'S BEEN ABLE TO PROTECT NEW HAMPSHIRE'S FIRST STATUS. REPORTER: TODAY HOUSE BILL 73 IS VIEWED AS A CORNER STONE OF THE PRIMARY. IT'S ABOUT PRESERVING DEMOCRACY AND HAVING AN A-STATE, AND NEW HAMPSHIRE IS AS GOOD AS ANY, BETTER THAN MOST, I THINK. BUT A STATE THAT'S KIND OF SMALL WHERE CANDIDATES, WITHOUT NATIONAL NETWORKING, WITHOUT A LOT OF FUNDS, ALTHOUGH IT'S COSTING MUCH MORE EVEN JUST TO PUT ON A SMALL CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT NOW, HAVE A CHANCE TO BE ABLE TO RUN AND DO WELL. I CAN MAKE THE CASE THAT JIMMY CARTER WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PRESIDENT IN 1976, I PAID FOR THIS MICROPHONE, MR. GREEN, BEYOND GREEN WHO WAS MODERATOR AT THE TIME. OR BILL CLINTON, IN 1992. I CAN MAKE A CASE THAT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PRESIDENT WITHOUT HAVING THE FIRST IN THE NATION PRIMARY WHERE THEY COULD COME TO THE STATE, TALK WITH INSTEAD OF TO OR AT US, AND GET ENOUGH SUPPORT TO BECOME WINNERS. REPORTER: IN PORTSMOUTH, ADAM SEXTON, WMUR NEWS 9. JOSH: ONE AUTHORITY ON THIS MATTER, SECRETARY OF STATE BILL GARDNER, SAYS WITHOUT JIM